Turbine engine fleet wash management system

Abstract

A turbine engine fleet wash management system is configured to electronically communicate with a turbine engine system, a fleet management service, and a cleaning management service. The turbine engine fleet wash system causes a cleaning of a turbine engine to occur based on information received from the turbine engine system and other sources. The turbine engine fleet wash management system includes a cleaning schedule optimizer that generates a cleaning schedule based on engine health monitoring data, engine operation data, maintenance schedules for the turbine engine, and cleaning regimen data. The cleaning schedule optimizer estimates turbine engine performance improvements based on the selected cleaning regimen, and calculating an estimate of carbon credits earned based on the predicted improvement in turbine engine performance.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for optimizing cleaning of a turbine engine adapted for use in an aircraft that is executed by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a communication link between the turbine engine and a cleaning schedule optimizer, engine health data from the turbine engine over time during operation of the turbine engine; 
 periodically executing, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, a cleaning optimization routine to evaluate instances of the engine health data using one or more cleaning schedule optimization criteria; 
 querying, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, an operational database to obtain information about the use of the turbine engine and incorporating the turbine engine use information into the optimization routine; and 
 in response to one or more instances of the engine health data meeting an engine health criterion, causing a foamed cleaning agent to be discharged into the turbine engine according to an optimized engine cleaning schedule, 
 wherein the turbine engine use information includes at least one of (i) flight types of the aircraft, (ii) departures and destinations of different flights of the aircraft, (iii) dates and times of the different flights of the aircraft, and (iv) climate and weather during the different flights of the aircraft; 
 wherein the method further comprises ranking, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, the one or more cleaning schedule optimization criteria; 
 assessing, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, the ranking of the one or more cleaning schedule optimization criteria, an availability of maintenance for the aircraft, and an availability of ground equipment for the maintenance; and 
 indicating the engine health data meets the engine health criterion based on the assessment by the cleaning schedule optimizer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein periodically executing the cleaning optimization routine comprises executing the cleaning optimization routine in response to determining that engine performance is degrading. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising querying, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, an environmental database for information about operating environments of the turbine engine and incorporating the operating environment information into the optimization routine. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising querying, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, a maintenance database for information about the maintenance history of the turbine engine and incorporating the maintenance history information into the optimization routine. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising querying, by the cleaning schedule optimizer, a cleaning parameters database for information about the different cleaning regimens available for use on the turbine engine and incorporating the cleaning regimen information into the optimization routine. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by a fuel efficiency calculator electrically connected to an engine health monitor, one or more engine performance parameters and generating fuel efficiency parameters based upon the received engine performance parameters. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising calculating, by the fuel efficiency calculator, changes in fuel consumption in the engine over time. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising calculating, by the fuel efficiency calculator, changes in operating cost over time based on the changes in fuel consumption over time. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving, by a carbon credit calculator, the fuel efficiency parameters and the engine performance parameters, estimating a change in fuel consumption based upon the optimized cleaning schedule, and using the estimated change in fuel consumption to calculate an estimated number of carbon credits earned. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising sending, by a notification system in communication with the cleaning schedule optimizer and coupled to a network, a notification to an owner of the turbine engine, and wherein the notification comprises the cleaning schedule, the estimated fuel consumption, and the estimated carbon credits. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the operating environment information includes at least one of (i) types of environments the aircraft operated in during different flights and (ii) types of weather the aircraft operated in during different flights. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the information about the different cleaning regimens includes locations at which the different cleaning regimens are available and the number of cleaning units available at a particular location.